


Love of a Sayaker

by Moiloru



Series: Growing With Hope [5]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
Genre: Crushes, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Gen, Hair Dyeing, Hope's Peak Academy, Onesided Naezono, Side Story, leosaya - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:41:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28271823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moiloru/pseuds/Moiloru
Summary: It was only a silly bet between two friends who didn't care what people could say about them, even as some of the most famous young people in all of Japan. But before he knew it, Sayaka had invited Leon home so he could witness her "punishment", an occasion like no other for the pop idol and the baseball player to bond... unaware of their lucky friend's feelings...Side story toThe Academy of Hope.
Relationships: Kuwata Leon & Maizono Sayaka, Kuwata Leon & Naegi Makoto, Kuwata Leon/Maizono Sayaka, Maizono Sayaka & Naegi Makoto, Maizono Sayaka/Naegi Makoto (onesided)
Series: Growing With Hope [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1799014
Comments: 10
Kudos: 6





	1. Bonding Over Hair-Dyeing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leon and Sayaka spend an afternoon together, a great occasion to bond, especially with the pop idol's "punishment" awaiting her...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again, everyone! Here's a new side story to The Academy of Hope, with the first chapter taking place after Chapter Four of AOH! As a warning, there is an Ace Attorney reference (to Apollo Justice, more particularly) hidden in there, so if there's a word you don't understand, then it's just that you don't have the reference. It won't affect your understanding of the chapter, though. I hope you like it!

** _Chapter One:_ _Bonding Over Hair-Dyeing_ **

Leon smiled, expectantly waiting as he stood in front of the door to Sayaka's house somewhere off-centered in Tokyo, a good twenty miles away from Hope's Peak Academy. The Ultimate Baseball Star had gone to see the pop star dressed as he always was, though he had tried to be more careful with the touches of make-up he used. Who knows, in case his crush could find him good-looking?

The door opened, revealing the Ultimate Pop Sensation on the other side, smiling as she took in the sight of her guest waiting at the doorstep.

"Hiya, Leon! Good afternoon!" she greeted, showing him the smile that had won her his heart - even if she didn't know that (for sure, at least).

"Hey, Sayaka!" _Man, that chick is gorgeous…_ He thought but tried not to be distracted by Sayaka's natural beauty. "How's it going?"

"I'm fine, thanks." the blue-haired girl replied and got out of the way, her arm showing the way. "But please, come in! I'll lead you to my room!"

Leon tried his best not to blush as Sayaka told him this very easily and reminded himself that he wasn't going to the pop idol's room to do anything other than see her face her "punishment" for losing their bet.

The Ultimate Baseball Star entered with a nod and followed Sayaka through the corridors of her house, smirking when she next spoke up.

"You know, it'll be all your fault if I look awful after this, Leon," she said, though the redhead understood she was merely teasing thanks to the tone of her voice. "It better not ruin my reputation!"

"Nah, it won't, I'm sure!" _Besides… it'd take a lot more than that to make her look awful…_ He kept these thoughts to himself, however. The ballplayer was not prepared to tell her that yet - even as a known womanizer. "And well, you should have been better at pinball, right?"

The girl turned around, making Leon gulp with how angry she looked. Sayaka sighed before giving out a giggle and resuming her walk ahead of her classmate.

"I'd have won if not for Makoto's luck rubbing off on you!" she reminded him, and he honestly had to agree. "But it's fine, really. It'll be a change, and some changes can't hurt from time to time."

"Yeah, that's true." he agreed, sharing her thoughts about the Ultimate Lucky Student. "Not that I'm complaining! Can you imagine what I would have looked if I had lost?!"

"Don't tease me, Leon Kuwata," she told him, and he could imagine her smile even from behind her. "Well, there we are."

The Ultimate Pop Sensation entered one open room with Leon following closely behind her. He took in the sight of a large and spacious room split in two. One half looked like your usual girl bedroom, whereas the other was more akin to a dressing room. There were posters everywhere on the walls and a mic in one of the corners. Also, the baseball player couldn't help but notice the many, many pop idol dresses everywhere.

"Jeez, the Ultimate Pop Sensation has quite the room!" _Makes sense, though… I wonder how Sayaka would look in one of these dresses from up close…?_ Blaming himself for having these thoughts about a girl he didn't consider a crush like any other, he added,"One more reason I've gotta switch from Ultimate Baseball Star to Ultimate Musician!"

"Yeah, I'm not unlucky in that regard." Sayaka conceded before going to sit in front of a large mirror hanging on the wall. "Well, I've prepared everything I'll need there, so I guess all you have to do now is watch and laugh at me."

The redhead actually laughed kindly as his crush gathered some bottles, a towel, among other things he didn't know the importance of. Sure, his hair color wasn't natural, but he had dyed it a long time ago, and his hair wasn't as long as Sayaka's, so he guessed the process was a little different.

Sayaka's next words took him out of his reverie as she grinned and said, "Take a seat, don't be shy! You're not gonna tell me a fragile little girl like me is going to intimidate the great Leon Kuwata, now are you?"

Leon blushed slightly before doing as he was told and grabbing a chair and sitting next to her. _Man, she's probably heard I can be a bit of a lady-killer… That's a little embarrassing…_

"So… I guess we start with a discoloration, then. This one doesn't even require you to dampen your hair! I don't know how they made this possible, but that'll save me some trouble, so I'm not complaining." the pop star said, mostly to herself, and grabbed a bottle. The label read "World-class Discoloration on Dry Hair!" and the bottle itself looked expensive.

"Just out of curiosity… How much did you pay for all that stuff?" Leon asked, dreading the answer if he was being honest with himself.

Sayaka thought for a second, seeing the ballplayer in the reflection of the mirror. "Hm, I'd say around 10,000 yen or something…?"

The boy gasped in surprise as his suspicions were confirmed. "I'm definitely paying at least for a part of that, Sayaka," he told her, feeling a little guilty she had needed to pay that much for a silly bet. "You shouldn't have!"

"Hey, it's okay, Leon. I'm lucky enough to be able to afford it, so I did." the blue-haired girl said, smiling a bit at the kind offer her friend was making her. "Besides, I wouldn't have done it if I couldn't. And I kinda want to do it anyway, so losing the bet was no big deal."

 _Yeah, that's why you ran after Makoto in rage when he made you lose…_ Leon deadpanned but kept his thoughts to himself. "Fine, fine…"

"Cool! Well, let's see…" the pop idol reached for plastic gloves and put them on before opening the cap of the bottle and spraying some on one of her hands. She frowned as she realized something. "Crap, I forgot to wrap a towel around my shoulder, so I don't dirty my clothes… And tying my hair, too! Gosh, I'm dumb! Hm… Could you do that for me, please, pretty boy? I've got a hairband right over there."

The Ultimate Baseball Star blushed a tad but kept that hidden as he nodded and did what Sayaka had asked him and wrapped a plain white towel around her shoulders, effectively protecting her clothes.

"I'm pretty sure you know how to tie a girl's hair, don't you?" she asked him teasingly as he took the hairband. Seeing him roll his eyes, she added in a sweeter voice, "A bun should do, I think."

"Okay." _She's so freaking adorable! I love girls who can tease a bit, and Sayaka is just perfect at that!_ The redhead gently took hold of his crush's long (and right now, blue) hair before expertly tying it into a bun that rested on top of her head. "There, is that good?" _Her hair is silky… I hope the dye doesn't ruin it, or I'll be so mad at myself!_

"Yeah, it's perfect! Thanks." the smile she showed him made Leon's heart skip a beat. "Now, it says here to start with the roots… From there, cover all of your hair… Let's see…"

"You ask if you need help, alright, Sayaka?" Leon offered, earning him another grateful smile. _Stop smiling like that, girl! Especially when you're so pretty!_

"Sure, I'll keep that in mind." with that said, the pop sensation applied the discoloring product to the roots of her hair, cautiously moving her hands so she'd get every single part. After a minute, she looked into the mirror to check. "Do you think I've got everything?"

Leon verified for her before saying, "Yeah, I think that's good."

"Okay, thanks." she proceeded to repeat the same action, but this time on the lengths of her shining blue hair.

After she was done, the baseball player took a step forward and inspected her hair, once again making sure she had gotten everything. "Looks good to me." he simply said, and Sayaka nodded.

"Alright. Then, we wait for…" the girl cast a glance at the bottle. "…fifteen minutes, apparently. Can you gimme another towel so I can place it on my hair, please?"

"Yeah, sure." he gave her the towel before sitting back on the chair and allowing himself to relax. _This is going well for now! I've had so many dates with so many girls… But I feel like this is different and even better!_ "So, when's your next show, Sayaka?" he asked, not minding small talk to pass the time, especially with Sayaka.

"Next weekend, actually," Sayaka replied as she adjusted the second towel over her hair and let the product work its miracles. "It's been a little while since the last one, so I'll need to get my bearings again. Not that I mind, though. Still, if the crowd boos me for the hair color, then I'll give them your phone number, so they can harass you. How does that sound?"

Leon gulped, knowing there was a chance Sayaka was actually serious. "U-Uh…"

The pop idol giggled, seeing the fear in her guest's eyes. "I'm kidding, silly! Jeez, I can say all I want about Makoto being naïve and clueless sometimes, but you aren't much better!"

"W-Well…" he blushed a color close to the color of his hair, smiling uneasily. _As long as she doesn't pull that 'psychic' thing she always does with Makoto…_ "I'll feel guilty if it doesn't end up looking good, I'll be honest…"

"Hey, don't go depressed on me now!" she told him, scolding him. "It'll look great, I'm sure! Worst case scenario, I'll wear a wig for a while, and they'll be none the wiser, trust me!"

Leon sighed, thinking, _I'm starting to think this bet might not have been a good idea, after all… Maybe Makoto was right… Buddy, I should listen to you more often…_

* * *

"Yeah, I wonder what Ms. Yoshida meant when she said that…?" Leon said, replying to Sayaka about something that had come up in one of their recent homeroom classes.

"Same. I guess we'll see…" the pop idol added, looking pensive. "Well, no need to think about it too much, I think. Now, that's fifteen minutes, right?"

"I… think so? We've been chatting, so I'm not certain, but I think it's been fifteen minutes, yeah." the redhead told his friend.

Sayaka nodded. "Okay. Well, here goes nothing…" with one swift move, the Ultimate Pop Sensation removed the towel covering her hair, making them both gasp as they took in quite the sight before their eyes.

In fact, their eyes widened at the sight of Sayaka's long hair turned blonde, nearly white, and not the signature vibrant blue that matched her eyes.

"W-Wow! My, my, Sayaka, aren't you a pretty blonde?" Leon teased, chuckling like an idiot, though he couldn't help but stare at his crush lovingly. _She looks a bit like that girl I've seen on campus with that hamster guy once…_

The pop idol turned red in embarrassment. "T-Thank you…" Sayaka meekly said as she took a closer look in the mirror and untied her hair to see how it looked.

"Nah, you're welcome! It's quite a change, but it really doesn't look bad!" the baseball star told her, sweetly and kindly, making her blush even redder. "Honestly… if the final color looks as good as this… you'll have to thank me for winning that bet!"

Sayaka shook her head and giggled, the blush on her cheeks receding as she reached for her phone on the counter. "I'm gonna take a selfie just so I can see how it compares to my natural color and the final color, okay? There's this new app called Instagram that was released a few months ago for posting pictures. I guess that'll make for a nice preview for my followers there. Wanna make an appearance on one of the Ultimate Pop Sensation's selfies, Mr. Kuwata?"

"You bet!" _Man, how am I so lucky today?!_ He wondered as he stood up and got right next to Sayaka, airquoting as she held her phone high in the air.

"Say cheese!" they both smiled, and with a *snap*, the phone took the picture, with the two friends looking very cute. "Aw, it's a pretty picture!"

"Yeah, it really is!" the redheaded boy agreed with a nod before thinking to himself, _I've got an idea for a super cheesy line…_ Deciding to try his luck, he added, "Though I ain't the one making it pretty, that's for sure!" _…That was wack, wasn't it…?_

"I can be proud of having many fans, Leon, and trust me, I've heard a lot of pickup lines in my career…" she paused, giggling. "But that was the worst I've ever heard!"

"Oh, c'mon! It's not like it's false!"

He saw her roll her eyes in the mirror's reflection before she reached for a new pair of plastic gloves and another bottle.

"Moving on from Mr. Kuwata's cheesiness…" before he could complain, the pop idol added, "I guess this is the same process again. Half an hour now, though," she said, reading the text on the bottle. She tied her hair again in the same way as before as the Ultimate Baseball Star sat back down. "Well, here goes nothing…"

They shared a knowing smile as Sayaka began to apply the dye to her discolored hair.

"Y'know… My father works until late today, so…" the Ultimate Pop Sensation said while her hands did their thing, slowly dispatching the dye all over her hair. "I wondered if you wanted to eat here tonight? If you don't have to be home early or something, of course."

 _Eating with Sayaka somewhere other than Hope's Peak…?_ He discreetly pinched himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming. Wincing but keeping this hidden, he replied, "If you don't mind, I'd be down for that, yeah."

"Okay, cool!" Sayaka showed him her angelic smile before smirking and telling him, "It'll give some use to the atroquinine I keep in the kitchen…"

Leon's eyes widened in fear as he muttered, "What the hell is atroquinine…? Never mind, I'm not sure I wanna know…"

She chuckled before removing the plastic gloves. "I'm kidding, don't worry. Anyway, can you tell me if I've got everything?"

"A-Ah, yeah, sure…" standing up, Leon looked around, a bit excited at the sight of Sayaka's hair covered in dye. If he was being honest with himself, he had accepted her bet out of curiosity of how she could look if he won. "I think it's good, Sayaka."

"Okay, thanks." she took a third towel and did the same as before, wrapping it around her hair. "Fingers crossed!"

The redhead nodded as he went back to his chair. There was a minute of comfortable silence between the two before Leon eventually spoke up.

"Hey, Sayaka?"

"Yeah? What's up?"

"I wanted to thank you for playing along," he told her, smiling genuinely and with complicity. "With your career and all, I wouldn't have minded if you had decided not to do it, y'know? Honestly… it's refreshing to see a girl like you, Sayaka, really. You're a great chick, and I'm glad we're friends."

The pop idol blushed, making Leon blush also. "T-Thanks, Leon… I'm glad to have befriended you, too," she said, her voice a little shier than usual. "You and Makoto have been my two lights since the beginning of the year… I really hope we'll be able to keep our dynamic going."

"Yeah, me too." _Makoto's a bro, and I think I might be in love with Sayaka, so you bet that's a dynamic I wanna keep…_ He thought, his lips subconsciously turning into a smile. "I guess baseball wasn't only a pain… It brought me to Hope's Peak, so I can't complain, can I?"

"Hey, why don't you like baseball, anyway?" she asked him, both curious and a bit scolding. "You're a freaking star and one of the best potentials ever!"

Leon sighed. "It's not that like, Sayaka, really… I was born good, but that doesn't mean I wanted to play the game. The second someone saw me throw a ball, they felt like I needed to play more. It's not that I dislike playing baseball so much, but I feel like it takes things away from me."

The pop sensation nodded in understanding, wordlessly urging her friend to continue.

"There's the whole styling thing where you have to shave your head, not have any piercings and all… That doesn't fit me or my style, y'know? To be honest…" he giggled. "I continued playing the game for my little cousin's sake, really." _And a bit for the girls, but that wouldn't sound good, I think…_

"Well, you do you," Sayaka told him. "But I really don't think you could have become the Ultimate Baseball Star without having a soft spot for the sport, Leon. I know I wouldn't have become the Ultimate Pop Sensation without my love for singing."

As she said that, Leon could swear he saw her frown uncomfortably but decided to let it slide.

"But if you wanna change, then it's your choice, and I'll be there to help you if you ever want to try your hand at music. Still," Sayaka's voice was much less light-hearted and instead grew really serious. "The field I perform in… isn't always pretty. When my friends and I are on stage, you see the shining dresses, the spotlights… you hear my voice and the crowd's cheers… But it isn't always as simple as that, you know? So if you really want to give it a shot… you better be ready for everything."

Leon's expression grew tense as Sayaka finished her explanation. The friendly mood from only a few minutes before became much heavier, and the baseball star didn't really know what to say to that.

"I… I'm sure it isn't always easy for you and your friends, yeah," he told her, wanting to make her understand that he himself understood what she meant. "But I'll do my best and see where it leads me! That, contrary to baseball, I'm ready to invest myself in 24/7!"

The boy's optimism brought back a smile on Sayaka's face.

"You remind me of myself when I started as a pop idol when you say that, you know?" she told him, smiling in nostalgia. "Things happened afterward, and well… Not only things I am proud of, but seeing you motivated is itself motivating. And who knows, maybe you'll actually succeed? Though I should warn you: I'm not letting anyone get the spotlight any time soon!"

Her smirk was challenging - and if there was anything sport had turned Leon into, it was a competitor. Thus, returning her smirk with one of his own, he said, "Better brace yourself, then, Ms. Maizono!"

* * *

"Ready?"

"Yeah. Nervous?"

"A bit, yeah."

"I can understand that."

With one last shared look and a nod from Leon, Sayaka pulled the towel away with one swift move. And while the two had gasped after her discoloration, this time around was different. Leon's eyes widened in a mix of shock, surprise, love, and excitement, while Sayaka nearly jumped out of her seat.

"Oh my fucking God…" she cursed, staring at herself in the mirror. Leon narrowed his eyes on her, trying to determine if this was a good sign or not. Her next words gave him a clear answer. "It's fricking amazing!"

The Ultimate Pop Sensation proceeded to untie her hair, letting it flow freely. A few rays of sunshine passing through the room's windows reflected a vibrant and brilliant red color.

"Wow, that looks even better than I thought it could, to be honest," Leon said, the loving look in his eyes betraying how pretty he found his friend and crush.

"Yeah, it looks awesome!" the pop idol exclaimed, smiling so cheerily as she couldn't stop herself from running her hands through her long and now red hair. "I'm so happy!"

Leon smiled, content with knowing Sayaka liked her new look. The more time passed, the more she appeared as the real winner of their bet. The boy wouldn't have it any other way, quite frankly. Just seeing happy, cheery Sayaka… It made him feel more at peace than anything.

Yeah, he really loved that girl. She wasn't just one more crush to add to the list; that was now an established fact. And while he usually would be very flirty - sometimes even too much - he didn't feel like acting this way around Sayaka. Taking his time to know her better, spending some quality time as friends before trying anything… That seemed like the way to go - and Leon really didn't mind.

Though when the girl turned around, smiling brightly (it had been what won her his heart, really), and pressed a kiss on his cheek, Leon turned red quicker than Sayaka's hair had.

"Thank you so much for winning that bet, Leon!" she said, her happiness not showing any signs of receding any time soon.

The baseball played stammered, unable to come up with anything due to his embarrassment, "A-Ah, um… Y-You're welcome…" _Did she just kiss me?! Man, perhaps this was only a small peck on the cheek, but that felt like no other kiss I've ever had in my life!_

Unaware that her guest was on the moon in his little world, Sayaka took out her phone again.

"Hey, how about another selfie, Leon?" she offered, running her hand through her hair again to make it fit entirely on-screen. "I need to see how it compares against my natural color!"

"Yeah, sure!" the Ultimate Baseball Star got next to his classmate, friend, and crush.

"Get a little closer: you don't fit entirely on the screen," Sayaka warned him, wrapping her arm around his waist to bring him closer to her. Their hands brushed softly, sending a feeling of pleasure to course through Leon's body - and even if he didn't know that, through Sayaka's too. "Now, say cheese!"

Leon snuggled as close to the pop idol as he could without making his intentions too obvious (he could always pretend it was to make the photo better if she asked) and took her hand in his from behind their backs.

Sayaka took the picture, intertwining their fingers together and smiling brightly. Leon shared her smile, feeling in heaven as her soft fingers caressed his own.

"There! It's even prettier than the previous one!" fidgeting with the device some more; it was as if a lightbulb had appeared over her head when she next spoke up. "Oh yeah! This is definitely my new phone wallpaper! This picture is just too cute not to be seen often!"

"Yeah, it looks nice." he agreed, catching a glimpse of Sayaka changing her phone wallpaper, which formerly was a picture of her with her bandmates. "Do you think you could send it to me, Sayaka?"

"Sure." the pop sensation nodded, and a couple of seconds later, Leon heard his phone beep in his pocket.

"Thanks, Sayaka. Is it okay if I make it my phone wallpaper, too?" the boy asked, preferring to get her consent first, even if it was most likely okay with her. He respected the girl too much not to ask her beforehand.

The now red-haired idol giggled, saying, "Of course you can, silly! I'd be honored!"

They shared a heartwarming smile, and Leon felt his heart skip a beat. Nodding in understanding, he proceeded to fiddle with his phone's options. One thing was made clear on the way, and it was that neither Sayaka Maizono nor Leon Kuwata had money issues, if their high-tech phones were any indication. The advantages of being an Ultimate, evidently.

Sayaka went to sit on her bed, continuing to play with strands of her hair. With a teasing voice, she said, catching Leon by surprise, "Hey, why don't you come and sit on my bed with me?"

Leon's eyes widened, which she obviously didn't miss - and was most likely her goal. She looked at him with adoring eyes, stunning the Ultimate Baseball Star in place for a couple of seconds, too awestruck to say anything.

Then, just like this, Sayaka giggled again - as sweetly as ever - before telling him, "Sorry, I couldn't help but pulling your leg a bit!"

"Sayaka…" Leon sighed and rolled his eyes. _That chick… It's getting harder to know when she's teasing and when she's not… Because she'd definitely be the type to say this seriously, I'm sure of it!_

"No, but more seriously, you can come and sit next to me, if you want. So we can chat a bit and all…" the Ultimate Pop Sensation told him, much more seriously already.

The Ultimate Baseball Star nodded and hesitantly proceeded to go and sit next to his crush. His steps were a bit shaky, and he could only wonder why. He had _definitely_ already sat on a girl's bed before, so this was nothing new. He had even done more than sitting on the bed, so he didn't know why he was hesitating.

 _Could it be…_ There was a pause in the boy's train of thought as he sat down on Sayaka's comfortable bed. _Yeah, that must be it…_

"So, what do you think of Hope's Peak so far, Leon?"

And with that, the two friends began chatting about this and that, spending some quality time together. Slowly but surely, Leon and Sayaka grew closer and closer, enjoying the other's presence…

* * *

Leon almost moaned as he finished eating the piece of cake Sayaka had offered him after their improvised dinner together. This was a chocolate cake he would remember, for sure!

"Man, this was great!" he said, rubbing his belly as Sayaka took a sip of her cocktail. "Thanks, Sayaka, you're the best!"

"You're welcome, Leon. I'm not the best cook in the world, but I guess I can manage." the pop star told him, smiling gratefully. "And now I know chocolate cake is a weak point of yours, right?"

The Ultimate Baseball Star chuckled. "Well…" he scratched the back of his head, a bit embarrassed. "I can always find some space in my stomach for some chocolate cake, yeah."

"You tell me about it!" Sayaka agreed with a fervent nod. "It sucks I can't have too much because the press will be on my tail if I gain even half a pound, though. That's… the downside of being a pop idol, I guess. Even if all the cakes, sweets, and delicious foods in the world wouldn't ever be worth my band!"

"Yeah, I guess not. Well, my coach wouldn't be happy to see me come back with ten more pounds either, I think." _Coach Nidai can be quite intense when he wants to… And that's unfair: his training partner apparently can't stop eating!_ "Makoto's lucky: he can eat how he wants!"

"Well… The poor boy devalues himself because he didn't enroll in Hope's Peak as an Ultimate like the others, so I guess we can leave him this privilege, don't you think?" the pop idol asked him and got a nod of agreement from Leon. "Besides… It feels good to have a friend who's more rooted in normality for once, don't you agree?"

"Yeah. Makoto's a great guy, and I guess he's kind of a bro to me." the boy told her. "N-Not the Mondo and Taka kind of bros, though! Geez, these two are so attached at the hip, I wouldn't be surprised if they were more than bros and have already kissed!" _How come they even befriended each other in the first place?! They're like total opposites!_ "I know I'm not kissing Makoto anytime soon!"

"Well, I wouldn't be surprised if Taka had a crush on Mondo, yeah," Sayaka said, looking a bit pensive. "As for Mondo… I don't really know, to be honest. Other than Toko's obsession with Byakuya… I'm not sure I am aware of any of our classmates' crushes…"

It took Leon a lot of effort not to roll his eyes and sweatdrop as she said that so casually. Honestly, he wondered if this wasn't another part of a complicated plan to tease him!

 _Hello, girl?! I'm like, right in front of you?!_ He held back the urge to wave in front of her face to make her realize just how ironic her words were. _Man, either she's messing with me, or she's as clueless as Makoto!_

"And you, Sayaka? Got a crush on anyone?" Leon asked, trying to avoid the slip of the tongue he could feel coming from a mile away. Deciding to test the waters without saying it, he added an innocent, "Makoto, maybe?"

Sayaka shrugged, answering, "No… Makoto's a great friend, but that's it. I mean… I love him, in a way, but as a friend and confidant, not anything else. He doesn't deserve a girl like me, anyway, so that settles things. To be honest… there are times I feel I don't deserve anyone, y'know?"

The ballplayer frowned, wondering what caused the pop idol's sudden lack of confidence. Leon was almost sure that Sayaka had more character than just a cheery and teasing pop idol, but he didn't know the exact extent of it. This sort of reaction made him dread what it could really be.

"Why do you say that, Sayaka? You're a great girl; I don't know why a chick like you wouldn't deserve a loving boyfriend!" he stood up and went to sit next to her, stroking her back soothingly as she sniffled, probably refraining herself from crying. "Hey, you ain't gonna cry on me now, Sayaka… That'd ruin the moment!"

He said that with as much optimism as he could muster - though that was still far from how hopeful Makoto could be on a good day -, making the Ultimate Pop Sensation smile again, slowly.

"Y-Yeah, you're right… Sorry about that…" the girl apologized, brushing off the tears that had been about to form under her eyes and threatened to ruin her mascara. "It's just… There are so many awesome girls at Hope's Peak that I sometimes feel like I'm not good enough… both in terms of prettiness and personality."

 _Hm…_ "Stop it, Sayaka, you know that's not true." he told her, more solemn than he had even been. _It's strange for me to care for a girl so much when I only had onetime crushes in the past…_ He wrapped a comforting arm around her figure and pulling her closer. "We have a class of Ultimates, so of course there are gonna be some pretty girls with their character, but that doesn't mean you're not one of them, right?"

"Y-Yeah, but I don't stand the comparison with girls like Celeste, Kyoko, Mukuro, or Junko! And girls like Hina or Sakura have a heart of gold… meanwhile, I'm just your ordinary girl! Who the hell would want me, expect some disillusioned fanboys?!"

"Stop that, Sayaka!" Leon exclaimed suddenly, growing frustrated with his crush's self-blaming. "You're the fucking Ultimate Pop Sensation, Sayaka! You're probably the prettiest chick I've ever met, and for God's sake, I've met a lot! And goddammit, you're an amazing girl!" he shook her by the shoulders, trying to get her to snap out of it. "Ask Makoto, ask Ms. Yoshida, ask anyone, dammit, that's what they'll tell you! That's what _I_ think!"

There was some silence before, at one point, Sayaka's emotions overwhelmed her, and she threw herself in Leon's arms in a tight hug.

"T-Thank you, L-Leon… for g-giving me confidence…" she weakly said, sobbing against the ballplayer's shoulder. "Thank you, thank you, thank you…"

"You're welcome, Sayaka…" the boy whispered in her ear, a small smile gracing his lips as he stroked Sayaka's red hair soothingly, the cries gradually turning into mere sobs before she finally stopped crying. After a little while, he pulled back, telling her with a confident smile, "Now, no more self-blaming, got it?"

She smiled, her blue eyes showing just how relieved she was. And just for that bright smile, Leon was glad Sayaka Maizono was there in his life, whether it was as an absolute crush, as a classmate, or as a friend.

_**To be continued…** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to give a special shoutout to my friend WiiFan2009 for giving me the inspiration for the title of this first chapter. Go and check out his story Kyoko's Recovery! Bonding Over Hair Brushing! story, part of his awesome Gaidenverse! Other than that, I hope you liked this chapter, because I loved writing it! Leosaya is a really cool ship - even if I know some people don't like it so much. Please leave a review before you go!
> 
> I wish you all a Merry Christmas in advance, and I hope you and your families are doing well. Please stay safe, and have a nice day, everyone! :)


	2. The Greatest Stage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Sayaka comes back on the campus of Hope's Peak with a plan in mind, she runs into a certain someone...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the second chapter of this Leosaya side story, taking place during Chapter Six of AOH. I hope you enjoy it.

** _Chapter Two:_ _The Greatest Stage_ **

"You're free to go, Sayaka. Have a pleasant day," said Jin Kirigiri, Headmaster of Hope's Peak Academy, after Sayaka had reported her return on campus. "And please close the door on your way out."

"Yes, sir. Have a nice day, too." the pop idol bowed politely before turning around and heading out of the office. _Jeez, Kyoko's father isn't too strict, but he can be stern sometimes!_ She thought, making sure to comply and close the door behind her. _Well, no use thinking about it. Back to the dorms I go! With some luck, *he's* already back on campus…_

With this in mind, Sayaka headed for the stairs, a small smile on her face. If everything went well, today should be a good day, great even. She was slightly nervous, she had to admit, but looking forward to it. Her heart skipped a beat just at the thought as she almost ran down the stairs - something their Class Representative wouldn't have approved at all!

* * *

The campus was buzzing with activity, which was honestly not a rare thing, especially in-between the Reserve Course's classes. With her errand done with, Sayaka quickly headed for the dorms, hoping there wouldn't be an army of Reserve Course students asking her for autographs on the way - because yes, that sometimes happened.

The Ultimate Pop Sensation was always happy to sign autographs for the so-called Sayakers, but right now, she needed some peace (and possibly, some quiet, even if this was unlikely) to think and relax.

_I'm pretty sure it'll go well… I mean, I can be a dumb girl, but I can pick up hints when I see them!_ The blue-haired pop idol thought, adopting a pensive stance. _If he doesn't like me, though, that's gonna be so humiliating… But c'mon, we spent a day together at my place, and he couldn't stop blushing! We held hands, and he helped me with my insecurities… Yeah, no need to be nervous, it's gonna be fi-_

"Hey, Sayaka, wait up!"

"H-Huh?"

As she turned around, the pop idol saw a redhead running after her, and for once, it wasn't a fan. Well, at least, not first and foremost. Her eyes widened in panic as she understood who was calling out to her.

_Shit, it's Leon! Argh, I-I wanted to meet him in his room, not before!_ Trying to come up with something natural as he ran up to her, Sayaka drew a blank. _D-Do I just go along with the plan anyway…?! That's super risky!_

"Sayaka! Good afternoon! How are you?" the ballplayer asked as he caught up to her. He wasn't panting at all, thanks to being used to running a lot when playing baseball.

The pop idol tried to remain calm and addressed her crush as naturally as she could, "Good afternoon, Leon. I'm fine, thanks. I was on my way back to the dorms. You?"

"Oh, I'm fine, thanks," he replied gently, smiling as he almost always did. "Good thing I saw you there, though, because there was something I needed to tell you."

_S-Something he needed to tell me…?_ The many possibilities overwhelmed Sayaka a bit. _M-Maybe…_ "Y-Yeah, what is it…? Can we walk back to the dorms while you tell me?"

"Yeah, sure." they began strolling along the path back to the Ultimates' wing of the campus. There was a light breeze, but it was overall a sunny day. It helped Sayaka relax a bit. "Hey, you alright, Sayaka? You look nervous."

"Y-Yeah, don't worry about it," she told her, forcing a smile. _Except that I had made plans to confess to you, and you decided to pop up where I didn't want you to, silly! If you knew that, I think you'd understand why I seem nervous!_ "What did you want to tell me?"

Leon seemed doubtful to some extent but dropped it. Sayaka would have sighed in relief if they had not been standing next to each other.

"About that…" she noticed him taking a deep breath before continuing, "You know, we've spent quite some time together since the beginning of the year, and we had that afternoon at your place, which was great and all… And well…" another deep(er) breath. "I've developed some feelings for you, Sayaka, y'know? You're a great chick, and I feel like it works well between the two of us, too. So, um… I was wondering if it was the same for you, see…? Maybe be more than friends…? I-If you want to, of course…"

Sayaka's eyes widened once again, but not for the same reason. She pinched herself discreetly, trying to make sure she wasn't dreaming. Leon looked at her with an adorable dorky face, a little hesitant, which made him even cuter in the girl's eyes.

_D-Did he… Did he just ask me if I had feelings for him?!_ She wondered as soon as the rational part of her mind had regained control. "L-Leon…" some tears appeared under her eyes

Seeing the pop sensation look on the brink of crying, Leon frowned. "S-Sorry, I shouldn't have said t-that… F-Forget you heard anything, okay…?"

"N-No… L-Leon, I… I…!" _How the hell is this happening?! Did Makoto's luck rub off on me during the weekend or something?!_ "I have feelings for you too!"

She almost shouted this, wanting to be sure he heard it loud and clear. And just like hers only a moment ago, Leon's eyes widened in surprise, and his lips turned into a smile - whether he was conscious of that was unclear, however.

"S-Sayaka, does that mean…?" he asked, though hesitantly.

"Y-Yeah… I-If you like me too, I'd like to b-become your girlfriend…" _I've finally said it! I've asked Leon to be his girlfriend!_ Bouncing like a little bunny inside, Sayaka awaited her crush's answer.

The boy took her hands, intertwined their fingers together. After a moment of silence, he finally replied.

"Yeah, I'd love that, Sayaka. I-I… I can't really believe you'd like a guy like me, but…"

She giggled, finding in this the Leon she loved. "You know, I was about to come to your room and ask you out, so this is a pretty cool coincidence, don't you think?"

"Wait, really?" seeing her nod in confirmation, the Ultimate Baseball Star added, "Wow, I didn't know that… To be honest, it's been a while since I've wanted to confess to you, but I couldn't muster the courage to do it…"

"You, Leon Kuwata, not having the courage to ask a girl out?! I don't believe it!" she told him, smirking teasingly. _I'm so glad this went well… I was so worried he would reject me if I asked him out… Chances are, I would have chickened out before asking him…_

"Well, you're not a girl like the others, Sayaka, you need to realize that, alright?" he told her, making her smile and blush. Then, out of the blue, he asked, "Is it okay if I kiss you?"

_There it is… My first kiss… That's probably not true for the two of us, but that doesn't matter._ "Yeah, I'd love that."

As she said that, the redhead leaned closer and softly placed his lips on hers in a lovely kiss, claiming the Ultimate Pop Sensation's first kiss.

_Leon is fricking kissing me! OMG!_

Moaning a bit in pleasure, Sayaka let her new boyfriend guide her and simply returned the kiss. It was slow but still passionate. The blue-haired girl couldn't have asked for anything different for her first time kissing a boy (or a girl, for that matter, she was into both without _any_ trouble).

They pulled away to retake their breath, staring into each other's eyes lovingly.

"I love you, Leon," Sayaka said, without needing to even think about it. It felt liberating, for sure.

"I love you too, babe," he replied, and the pet name made the girl's heart skip a beat.

Yeah, that was a nickname she could get used to… Still, while the Ultimate Pop Sensation and her new Ultimate Baseball Star boyfriend were over the moon, they couldn't have guessed they had somewhat of an audience, their Ultimate Lucky friend, for example, whose heart had just been broken… On the other hand, a very mysterious fashionista grinned at the scene, already planning her next move…

* * *

Leon was sitting in Sayaka's room, expectantly waiting for his new girlfriend to begin her performance. Indeed, the pop sensation had agreed to sing one of her classics for him, as a way to celebrate them getting together.

"Okay, so this one of my favorite songs, " _I'm not typical!"_ I hope you like it!" she said sweetly, smiling at her boyfriend as she fiddled with her mic and pressed a button on her CD/DVD player.

She began singing, her voice mesmerizing Leon at first with just how well she sang. He found the lyrics extremely cute and just having the girl he liked singing for him was enough for him to have a good time.

Honestly, it could have lasted forever that Leon wouldn't have complained.

Unfortunately, their fun had to stop when someone knocked on the door, forcing Sayaka to stop singing, and she sighed in regret.

*knock* *knock*

"Roh, why do they gotta disturb us?" she wondered, growling a bit. "I hate being interrupted when I'm singing!"

"It's okay, babe, you can continue after that." the redhead told her, getting more and more comfortable nicknaming his girlfriend this way. "I'll go and get it, alright?"

"Yeah, please." _I wonder who it could be…?_ Sayaka asked herself as she went and stopped the music that was still playing in the background. _The walls are soundproof, so it can't be for the music…_

She watched as her boyfriend opened the door and revealed the strawberry blonde Junko Enoshima on the other side.

"Hey, hello there!" she exclaimed, grinning at Leon. "I see a girl here has company! Good for her, good for her!"

"Junko. What can we do for you?" the ballplayer asked, his voice showing neither amusement nor too much annoyance… yet. "Sayaka and I were having a moment together, so please keep it brief."

"Ah, I'm interrupting the future rock star in his date with his girlfriend, I see…" the fashionista told them, slightly smirking. Upon seeing the surprised look on Leon's face, which pretty much said, 'How did you know?', Junko added, "Well, I saw you make out earlier outside, so don't look so surprised! Can I enter already?"

_What the hell does Junko want…?_ Seeing her boyfriend wordlessly asking her for permission, Sayaka nodded and said, "Yeah, let her come in. I'm a bit curious as to what she wants."

With a nod of his own, the baseball star fully opened the door and let the blonde enter before going back to sit where he had been before. Sayaka still stood up, narrowing her eyes on her unexpected guest.

Junko bowed exaggeratedly before saying, "Good day! I have come to deliver some news! And it is quite a coincidence that you would just happen to have a most wonderful boyfriend of yours with you!"

"Hi, Junko." the blue-haired pop idol replied, though it wasn't as enthusiastic as almost always was. "What did you want to tell me? And what does it have to do with Leon being here?"

"We will tell you that, peasants, just you wait!" the Ultimate Fashionista told her, taking a crowd out of nowhere and placing it on her head. "Might we sit?"

They shared a look and rolled their eyes, knowing the quicker they heard what their classmate had to tell them, the better. Sayaka pointed to a chair and said, "You can sit there if you want."

Junko did as she was being told and sat before finally getting to what she wanted to say the newly formed couple of the two Ultimates.

"Well, this is about everyone's favorite luck boy, Makoto!" the fashionista announced. "Wanna hear it?"

"A-About Makoto…?" _What the heck does she want to tell us about Makoto…?_ Sayaka couldn't help but wonder, and apparently, her new lover was asking himself the same question.

"Why Makoto, though? And why are you the one telling us this, and not him?" the ballplayer asked, narrowing his eyes on the other girl.

"Oh, because this isn't something he would have come and told you on his own, puhuhuhu…" Junko cackled, making the pop sensation shiver a bit. Leon noticed this and took her hand, maybe subconsciously. "You see, the luck boy let me be privy to a secret of his, shall I say."

"A secret?" the pop idol echoed. _Makoto, of all people, having secrets?_ "I have my doubts, Junko." _But if she came to us… then maybe it's important…?_ With hesitation in her voice, Sayaka added, "But go on."

"I'm glad you asked!" the blonde cheered, her smile almost sadistic. "Our little tale begins a month ago, after a most remarkable P.E class! Class 78th's Ultimate Lucky Student, Makoto Naegi, decides to spend some time with Junko Fucking Enoshima; a truly magnificent idea!"

Both girlfriend and boyfriend rolled their eyes, thinking, _I'm not so sure about that…_

"Our chatter was most interesting, but only one detail should be of importance to you, you see?"

Sayaka tapped her foot impatiently, disliking the way her classmate was keeping her in that awkward suspense. At that point, she could tell them a piece of terrible news or a great thing, and there was no way to tell in advance.

"Now aware of this secret of Makoto's, I gave him an ultimatum, which was rather simple," the blonde explained, worrying Sayaka a bit more with the word 'ultimatum' being used so casually. "I told him to reveal his secret to the one it dealt with, or I would do it myself. I gave him a time limit of a month, which seemed fair to me."

_A secret Makoto had to tell… and visibly to me…?_ Scenarios played in the blue-haired girl's mind, and her mind settled on one in particular. _Oh no, don't tell me…_

"Unfortunately for our luck boy, he couldn't muster the courage to do it, so I am now forced to reveal his secret to you, Sayaka." the Ultimate Fashionista announced, not looking very sorry. "It is quite a pleasant coincidence that you shall be there to hear it, Leon, because it also deals with you, to some extent."

"How in the world does Makoto's secret deal with me?" the redhead inquired, getting frustrated. "If you came to mess with us, then just get out, Junko!"

"Oh, c'mon! You should be grateful!" the stare she received from Leon told her that he most definitely wasn't. "Fine, I'll cut to the chase and tell you."

Sayaka's heartbeat fastened a bit, and she felt her boyfriend hold her hand a little tighter.

"Makoto Naegi has a secret crush on you, Sayaka!"

Junko dropped a real bombshell with this, and the looks of surprise and shock on both Leon's and Sayaka's faces were enough to prove it.

"W-What the…?!" they both exclaimed in unison, though Leon was the first one to speak after that. "What the hell do you mean, Junko?!"

"Hey, I think I was clear enough, wasn't I?" she replied coldly, not caring for the angry glares she was on the receiving end of. "I thought you deserved to know, especially since the luck boy was too much of a chicken to admit it himself!"

_M-Makoto… has a crush on me…?_ It finally hit Sayaka that one of her theories had been correct, and not the one she wanted. _N-No, Makoto… I-I don't wanna break your heart!_

*sob*

"H-Huh?"

Both the blonde and the baseball star turned to see the Ultimate Pop Sensation sobbing silently in her hands.

"H-Hey, babe, what's wrong?!" Leon asked her worriedly, taking her hands with his in comfort. "D-Don't cry, Sayaka, it's alright…"

"Yeah, it's just the truth, girl, get used to it!" the fashionista commented. "And why does it even matter to you? It's not like you love him, visibly!"

"Shut up, Junko!" the crying girl shouted, pointing her finger at Junko accusingly. "Y-You don't know anything about the friendship Makoto and I share! H-He's… He's the best friend I've ever had, and… a-and even if I don't have r-romantic feelings for him… I-I still love him!"

"Yeah, Sayaka's right! What the hell were you even thinking, exposing Makoto's private feelings like that?!" the redhead asked furiously, his face turning red, but not from a blush. "I don't know what you were trying to accomplish, telling us that, but we don't give a shit! If you thought this was gonna make me mad at Makoto for this, then you were wrong! You know what? I'm happy to know that my girlfriend inspires these feelings because it proves just how great of a girl she is!"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it, I get it…" Junko muttered, visibly annoyed. "Now, I've done what I needed, so I'll be gone. I feel like my presence is not welcome, anyway… This is too despairing…"

"Yeah, get lost, Junko." the Ultimate Baseball Star ordered her and the blonde took leave. He waited for her to be gone and for her grin to be nowhere in sight before he addressed his girlfriend. "It's okay, Sayaka; it's okay…" he whispered in her ear softly. "I know what she told you took us by surprise, but it's okay… Don't cry, Sayaka, I'm here… Don't cry, babe…"

The pop idol sniffled, and she spoke up, even if her voice was strained. "I… I just don't want to break Makoto's heart! H-He's been so kind to me; he doesn't deserve it!" _P-Poor Makoto…_

"I-It's okay, Sayaka… You did nothing wrong, babe…" he assured her, speaking softly and holding his girlfriend close. "I know Makoto means a lot to you, and he's like a brother to me, so you don't need to panic about this. And you know the guy, babe, he'll understand." Leon giggled, adding, "Knowing him, he'll even be the one to apologize for having a crush on you, y'know?"

Sayaka giggled too, smiling a little. "Y-Yeah, you're probably right about that…" _That's something Makoto would do, alright…_ "But still… I feel sick just at the thought of seeing him heartbroken… He's helped me when I needed it, and I don't want to see him sad…"

"And neither do I, babe. But I don't want to see you sad, either, you know?" he told her, brushing off the tears under her eyes with his thumbs. "The two of you are my best friends, and it's not because we're romantically involved now that it'll change. We're still best friends, and we'll continue to hang out together a lot, okay? But please don't kick yourself over this, babe, alright?"

"O-Okay… I… I'll have to go and talk to him, though…" _H-He'll learn about Leon and me anyway, so I prefer to be honest with him… He deserves it…_ "T-Thank you, Leon… I… I'm so glad you're here…"

"You're welcome, babe." her boyfriend told her, smiling. He leaned forward and pecked her on the lips quickly, making her smile a bit. "I love you."

"I love you too, Leon. I… I'm sorry our first day together didn't go so well because of Junko…" _Nothing went according to plan… but I guess it could have been worse…_

"Don't be sorry, Sayaka," Leon told her reassuringly. "As long as you're here, everything's fine. This has been a better day than I could have expected, you know that?"

"T-Thank you…" _I don't deserve Leon either… he's too kind, too…_ "D-Do you want me to resume singing…?"

"If you want to, then sure, I'd love it." the redhead smiled, making Sayaka's sadness go away. "It's not every day you get to hear the Ultimate Pop Sensation's melodious singing for yourself, after all!"

This brought a smile back to the blue-haired girl's face as she blushed cutely and stood up, heading back to her mic.

_Makoto, Leon… I love you two so, so much… Not in the same way, but you're the two boys who helped me through my darkest days, and I'll never be thankful enough for that… And I'm sure Makoto will find a girl he'll love and who'll love him back… and Leon and I will help him with that…_

_Leon… I'm so glad to have met you, my adorable boyfriend…_

_**The End.** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this second chapter, and this side story as a whole. Giving Leon and Sayaka some development after they had some key moments with Makoto and Kyoko in the main story was something I wanted to do at some point, so there it is. There is one more side story on my list to write, as well as two "transition" stories glancing over canon events, and then I'll finally be able to get to the sequel to AOH. Anyway, until then, please leave a review!
> 
> I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, and I wish you a happy and healthy New Year a few days early. Have a nice day, and please be safe!
> 
> Love, Moiloru


End file.
